Onychomycosis. That’s the medical term for toenail fungus, a common infection that affects around 12% of adults in the United States. The fungus causes the toenails (or fingernails) to thicken, discolor, and sometimes even crumble, which some may try to hide by painting toenails black.
If you’ve got toenail fungus, you might be wondering where it came from. Did you pick it up at the gym? Or could it be something you inherited?
The question, “Is toenail fungus hereditary?” is a complicated one. While toenail fungus itself isn’t directly passed down through your genes, there’s evidence to suggest that some people are genetically predisposed to developing it. This means that if your parents or grandparents had toenail fungus, you might be more likely to get it too. But genetics aren’t the whole story. Lifestyle and environmental factors also play a significant role.
In this article, we’ll explore the interplay between your genes, your habits, and your environment to understand why some people are more susceptible to toenail fungus than others.